The board announced Wednesday that members selected Michael Haas to serve as Elections Division administrator during a closed session Tuesday.

Haas has served as a GAB attorney since 2008. He will now be responsible for overseeing the state's elections, a task that includes interacting with nearly 2,000 county and municipal clerks.

He replaces Nat Robinson, who was asked to resign. Board spokesman Reid Magney declined to elaborate, saying only the separation was cordial. Board Director Kevin Kennedy wrote in a memo to local clerks in November announcing Robinson's departure that he believed it was time for a change in leadership in the Elections Division and board members supported his decision, but he offered no other details.

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.